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EDUCATION MINISTER HEARS FROM BCPF

During his recent series of
public forums throughout the
province, Education Minister
Brian Smith heard briefs from
several local chapters of Canadian
Parents for French.

Among those expressing plea-
sure with the progress of students
in immersion programmes were
parents from Abbotsford, Camp-
bell River, Coquitlam, Duncan,
Nanaimo, North Vancouver, Van-
couver, Victoria and West Van-
couver. The Minister and his staff
were thanked for their support of
French language programs, for
the implementation of the Pro-
gramme-Cadre de Francais
(French Language Core Currl-
culum), and for the development
of curricula for early and late
immersion and the traditional
French as a Second Language
(FSL) course.

All CPF representatives re-
minded the Minister of the in-
creasing interest of parents in
French language learning oppor-
tunities for the children and pre-
dicted that requests to provide
such opportunities will continue
to be heard throughout the pro-
vince. However, It is just at this
time, as the educational advan-
tages of bilingualism are being
recognized and more effective

methods of teaching a second
language are being developed,
that funding to start or expand
these programs is in jeopardy.

The Victoria chapter stated,
‘‘We are aware of the fact that the
federal government has reduced
its financial contribution to bilin-
gual education. Our hope Is
simply that the federal and pro-
vincial governments will be able
to negotiate successfully a new
agreement on bilingual education
so that the education of children
will not suffer. After all, educa-
tion is a provincial responsibility .

The other groups also made
requests similar to that of Dun-
can’s for ‘‘definite and con-
tinuous support... financial
support for all French programs
at the provincial level.”’

Parents In Penticton who have
been denied an immersion pro-

_gram pointed out in their brief

that financial considerations
played a very large part In their
school board’s decision.

The West Vancouver Parents
for French summarized the situa-
tion by saying that, ‘‘If the adults
at the provincial and federal
levels continue to squabble over
control and. funding of education,
it is, ironically, the children who
will ultimately suffer.’’

COMPARISON IS MADE

A recent evaluation of Vic-
toria’s two immersion programs
showed, as might be expected,
that by grade 5 students In the
total immersion program (100%
French in K-2, 80% in 3, 75% In
4-6) achieved at a significantly

higher level than the partial
immersion students (90% in K,
80% in 1, 70% In 2-6) in French
listening comprehension, writing,
reading, speaking and language
arts. In addition, ‘‘the Victorla
students achleved at a higher